T or TUMULT-Class Destroyer ordered with the 6th Emergency Flotilla in March 1941 from Cammell Laird, Birkenhead and to be named HMS TEMPEST. The ship was laid down on 3rd December 1941 (Build Number 1100) and launched on 24th March 1943 as HMS TENACIOUS since a submarine had already been given the name selected. She was the second RN ship to bear the name TENACIOUS last used by a WW1 destroyer sold in 1928. The ship had been adopted by the civil community of Malvern, Worcestershire after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942. Build was completed on 30th October 1943.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ADRIATIC 1944 - SOUTH FRANCE   1944 - MEDITERRANEAN 1944 - OKINAWA   1945

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a field White a bulldog's  face proper.

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

(for more ship information,  go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search)

 

 

1 9 4 3

 

October             Contractor's trials and commissioned for service in 24th Destroyer Flotilla.

                           (Note: Flotilla comprised HM Destroyers TROUBRIDGE, TEAZER, TENACIOUS,

                                       TERMAGANT, TUSCAN, TERPSICHORE, TUMULT and TYRIAN).

           30th         Build completion and acceptance trials.

 

November         On completion of trials took passage to Scapa Flow for work-up.

                           Worked up with Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.

 

December          Prepared for foreign service and took passage for Gibraltar.                                            

 

1 9 4 4

 

January              Deployed with Flotilla in Western Mediterranean.          

            20th        Joined Northern Attack Force for support of allied landings at Anzio.

                           Joined HM Cruisers ORION and SPARTAN, HM Destroyers JERVIS, JANUS,

                           LAFOREY, LOYAL, INGLEFIELD, URCHIN and KEMPENFELT, HM Escort

                           Destroyers BEAUFORT, BRECON, WILTON and TETCOTT.

                           (Operation SHINGLE. See ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett)

.           22nd       Provided naval gunfire support off PETER Beach.

                           Under heavy air attacks including use of Glider Bombs

                           When released from SHINGLE transferred with Flotilla to Adriatic for support of

                           military operations, patrol and convoy defence.

                           (For details of Anzio operation see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by

                           C. Barnett

 

February

           2nd          Bombarded Recanti and Pedaso, south of Ancona with HMS TUMULT

 

March                 Adriatic deployment in continuation.

to                         (For details of naval activities in Adriatic see THE LAST DESTROYER by F Mason.)

April

 

May                   Deployed in Central Mediterranean for convoy defence and patrol.

         19th           Deployed with HM Destroyers TERMAGANT and LIDDESDALE to reinforce the escort

                           of Convoy HA43 in central Mediterranean which had been under U-Boat attack.

                           (Note: This convoy was escorted by co-belligerent Italian warships.)

         20th            Joined escort for HA43 and commenced search operation.

                            After establishing contact with a submarine carried out depth charge attacks.

                            Remained in area to await inevitable surfacing of submarine.

         21st            Engaged U453 with surface gunfire when submarine surfaced.

                            Shared credit for sinking of U453 with HM Destroyers TERMAGANT and

                            LIDDESDALE in position 38.13N 16.36E, NW Cape Spartivento.

                            (Note: 50 survivors from U4563 were rescued. See U-Boats DESTROYED by P Kemp.)

 

June                     Mediterranean deployment with Flotilla in continuation

to                         Nominated for duty in support of allied landings in South of France under overall 

July                      US Navy command.

                            (Operation DRAGOON - formerly ANVIL).

 

August               Joined Carrier Task Force 88.

        11th             Deployed with HM Cruisers ROYALIST & DELHI, HM Escort Carriers KHEDIVE,

                            EMPEROR, SEARCHER, PURSUER and ATTACKER, HM Destroyers

                            TROUBRIDGE, TUSCAN, TUMULT, TYRIAN, TEAZER, Greek NAVARINON and

                            six US Navy destroyers as Task Group  88.1.

         12th            Sailed from Malta for assault area with TG 88.1.

         15th            First aircraft took off from carriers.

                            (For details of Operation see INVASION OF THE SOUTH OF FRANCE (HMSO) and

                            ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY).

         27th            Released from DRAGOON and took passage with TG88.1 for Alexandria.

 

September         Deployed in Eastern Mediterranean.

     24th               Joined British Aegean Force with Flotilla.

 

October              Supported re-occupation of Aegean Islands.

to                        (Note: Support for allied reoccupation of Greece is to be confirmed.

November                     Operation MANNA)

 

December           Eastern Mediterranean deployment with Flotilla in continuation.

 

1 9 4 5

 

    January            Nominated for deployment with Flotilla in British Pacific Fleet after refit.

 

    February          Under refit in Malta and prepared for new service.

 

    March              On completion took passage to Sydney.

 

    April                On passage to Australia.

 

     May                Joined British Task Force 57. Pennant Number changed to D23.

             9th          Deployed with HMS TERMAGANT in TF57.

                            Part of screen for HM Aircraft Carriers INDOMITABLE, VICTORIOUS,

                            FORMIDABLE and INDEFATIGABLE during air operations against Sakishima Gunto

                            Group of islands. (Operation ICEBERG TWO.)

                            (For details see WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO), THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton.

                            TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith and Naval Staff History.)

           25th          Detached with HMS TROUBRIDGE and HMS TERMAGANT as escort for HM Battleship

                            KING GEORGE V during passage with to Guam for meetings with American Naval Staff.

           27th          Transferred with ships of BPF to 3rd US Fleet and redesignated as part of Task Force 37.

                            (Note: The was due to change in US Command arrangements in the Pacific area.

                                        See above references.)

           28th          Arrived at Guam.

 

June                    Passage from Guam to rejoin ships of BPF at Manus.

                           On arrival nominated for service with ships of Flotilla for RN operation.

                           Allocated to Task Group 112.2 (Operation INMATE).

                            (Note: This operation was to carry out attacks en airfields at Truk to reduce threats of Japanese

                                         air attacks on allied forces in the area  and also to give operational experience to ships

                                         newly deployed in Pacific area such as the 24th Destroyer Flotilla.)

             12th        Escorted HMS IMPLACABLE and HM Escort Carrier RULER, HM Cruisers

                            SWIFTSURE, NEWFOUNDLAND, UGANDA and ACHILLES with HM Destroyers

                            TROUBRIDGE, TERPSICHORE and TEAZER during passage for air operations at Truk

                            as Task Unit 111.2.15.

                            (Note: HMS TERMAGANT of Flotilla was deployed with HM Cruiser SWIFTSURE and

                                         HM Escort Carrier RULER in Task Unit 112.2.2 for screening duty.

             14th        Detached from Task Group 112.2 with HMS TROUBRIDGE and TEAZER as screen for

                            HMS NEWFOUNDLAND, HMS SWIFTSURE, HMS UGANDA to provide cover for

                            aircraft carriers during air attacks on Truk and redesignated Task Unit 112.2.3.

             15th        Rejoined ships of Task Force 112.2 and detached with HMS UGANDA and HMS

                            ACHILLES to carry out bombardment of seaplane base on island of Dublon.

                            (Note: Function was to provide counter battery fire and provide smoke screen in the

                                         event of opposition from shore.

                                         This operation was not an unqualified success due to lack of experience by

                                        cruisers and failures of communication with spotting aircraft.)

                            Rejoined Task Group on completion for screening and cover during air attacks by

                            carrier aircraft.

              16th      Took passage to Manus at daybreak with ships of Task Group.

 

July

                6th      Took passage from Manus to with ships of British Pacific Fleet as Task Force 37 for

                           operations off Japan

.             13th      Refuelled from Replenishment Group.

                           (Note: This became somewhat protracted owing to inadequacies and inexperience.)

              16th      Task Force 37 joined ships of US Task Force 38 for air operations against Japan.

               to         Deployed as screen for HM Aircraft Carriers FORMIDABLE, VICTORIOUS,

              19th      IMPLACABLE, to HMS KING GEORGE V with HM Cruisers

                           NEWFOUNDLAND, ACHILLES, UGANDA, EURYALUS, GAMBIA and

                           BLACK PRINCE, HM Destroyers QUIBERON, QUICKMATCH, QUALITY,

                           QUADRANT, TEAZER, TROUBRIDGE, TERMAGANT, TERPSICHORE,

                           GRENVILLE, UNDAUNTED, UNDINE, URANIA, URCHIN and ULYSSES during

                           combined attacks.

              20th      Refuelled from British Logistics Group 24th    Air operation recommenced against

                           subsidiary targets.

                           (Note: British aircraft carriers had been excluded from attacks on any primary

                                        targets for reasons outlined in above references.)

              26th      Replenished from British Logistics Group.

                           (Note: See above references for outline of problems experienced including the

                                        shortage of fuel from British tankers.)

              28th      Screening duties in continuation during attacks on subsidiary targets.

              31st      Ships refuelled from British Logistics Group and delayed by weather conditions.

 

August

                 4th     Fuel for destroyers provided by major warships.

                           (Note: See above references regarding continuation of fuel supply problems.

                 5th     Screening duties in continuation during air operations.

                 9th     Detached with HMS TERPSICHORE and TERMAGANT for screening of HM

                           Cruisers GAMBIA and NEWFOUNDLAND during bombardment of shore targets as

                           Task Unit 37.1.8

                           Bombarded Kamaisha, Honshu, Japan with spotting aircraft from US battleships.

                           Rejoined Task Force ships on completion.

               11th     Refuelled from British Logistics Group

                           Retained in operational area as part of US Task Force 38.

                           Redesignated as Task Group 38.5 with HM Destroyers BARFLEUR, NAPIER NIZAM,

                           WAKEFUL, WRANGLER, TROUBRIDGE, TERMAGANT and TEAZER for

                           screening of HMS INDEFATIGABLE, HMS KING GEORGE V, HMS

                           NEWFOUNDLAND and HMS GAMBIA.

                           (Note: Other British Pacific Fleet ships had to return to Manus as fuel could not be

                                        supplied from British tankers. See above references.)

               13th     Deployed as screen for HMS KING GEORGE V and HMS 1MPLACABE during

                           joint attacks by carriers and bombardments of targets in Tokyo area.

               14th     Refuelled with ships of Task Group 38.5 from US tankers.

               15th     VJ Day. Operations ceased.

               16th     Remained in operational area with US Navy ships and deployed in support of shore

                           operations including repatriation of allied prisoners of war and internees.

               27th     Attended surrender ceremony in Tokyo Bay with Token Force representing the British

                           Pacific Fleet

                           (For details of all BPF activities see above references.

 

P o s t  W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS Tenacious at Hobart, Tasmania, 1945 before returning to UK (Bas Hanrahan)

 

HMS TENACIOUS remained with the British Pacific Fleet for support of the military occupation and the repatriation of allied nationals from captivity. In addition the ship carried out Fleet duties. After a visit to Melbourne in February with HMS TUMULT and HMS UNDINE. She returned to UK and paid off into the Reserve Fleet at Devonport.  Re-commissioned in 1949 after a refit this destroyer served in the Clyde as Target Ship for the 3rd Submarine Flotilla. In 1951 she was selected for conversion to a Type 16 Anti-Submarine Frigate at Rosyth. After completion in 1954 she again went into Reserve until placed on the Disposal List. Sold to BISCO she was first de-equipped at Devonport and arrived at Troon for breaking-up in June 1965.

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS TENACIOUS

by Don Kindell

 

This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)